Formula 1’s Marcus Ericsson will be headed to the IndyCar Racing Series in 2019, where he will pilot the No. 7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports entry, the organization announced on Tuesday (Oct. 30).

Ericsson currently drives for Alfa Romeo Sauber in Formula 1.

“It’s a great honor to be picked as one of the drivers at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and IndyCar for the 2019 season,” Ericsson said in a press release. “It feels like a perfect step for me and my career after five years in F1. I can’t wait to start work with SPM and all the people in the team, which I’ve heard a lot of good things about. They’ve had some great success over the years, and I’m looking forward to work hard to continue and improve on that path.

“The racing in IndyCar looks great, and I feel really excited to be part of it in the future. It will be a lot to learn including new tracks, oval racing, etc. I know it won’t be easy, but it’s a challenge I’m very much looking forward to, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Ericsson has 95 starts in Formula 1, with 11 top-10 finishes. In 2018, he has a best finish of ninth three times (Mexico City, Hockenheimring and Bahrain).

Ericsson will remain as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo Sauber while also piloting the No. 7 Honda entry for SPM.

He becomes the 31st driver to race for the organization.

“Ric (Peterson) and I are excited to welcome Marcus to the team,” said SPM co-owner Sam Schmidt. “He has a ton of experience racing in the top levels of motorsports, so we believe that he will be able to contribute to our development program that began in earnest in 2018. While the circuits on the IndyCar schedule will be brand new to him, particularly the ovals, we have a lot of confidence and trust in his eagerness to learn along with his work ethic. We think he and James (Hinchcliffe) will be a good fit to push one another and fight for those wins.”

Along with Ericsson, James Hinchcliffe will return to the organization for a fifth straight season. SPM has also announced that the No. 6 Honda will remain open for Robert Wickens to return when and if he is able to, though the driver remains recovering from injuries sustained in a crash earlier this year.

About Christian Koelle

Christian Koelle returns to Fronstretch in 2019 in a little different form. After a year and a half of being a news writer, Koelle will contribute ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards content and photography in multiple different series over the course of the season. His favorite tracks include Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. He's looking to attend tracks he's never attended before this season including Auto Club Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (the only announced tracks currently). He's an avid fan of Iowa State Cyclones football, Atlanta Braves baseball, and Monster Energy Supercross.